


Journeys to Glory

by haldoor



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Bingo, Community: 1_million_words, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-05
Updated: 2013-07-05
Packaged: 2017-12-17 18:30:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/870657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> I would very much like to own this show and all the characters; unfortunately writing fic for free is as close as they'll let me get.<br/><b>Beta:</b> I ran each chapter past <span class="ljuser i-ljuser"></span><a href="http://kaige68.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://kaige68.livejournal.com/"></a><b>kaige68</b> as I wrote them, but all remaining mistakes are my own.<br/><b>Summary:</b> Steve has something he wants to tell Danny, but Danny's not sure he wants to know.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bingo card and icons

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://heffermonkey.livejournal.com/profile)[**heffermonkey**](http://heffermonkey.livejournal.com/)'s June Bingo Challenge at [](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/)**1_million_words** , and finally posted! For three of the prompts I made icons, which have nothing to do with the story, but are all Hawaii 5-0 oriented, so they are here along with the fic. My Bingo card and icons up first, before the story starts. Title stolen from the Spandau Ballet album and song.

  


  
**Animalistic**   


  
**Exotic**   


  
**Resistance is Futile**   


  



	2. The Villain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's not trying to be the bad guy

"Don't make me out to be some kind of bad guy here."

"No? No, of course not. How on earth could you be the bad guy when you're the one who told me there was something else you had to do and you couldn't possibly make it to Grace's party, and then I find your 'something else' - which, may I remind you, you told me was something 'you couldn't get out of' - turns out to be surfing on the North Shore with some buddy I didn't even know you had!" Danny finally took a breath, though it certainly looked like he was poised to go on.

Steve cut him off before he could wind himself up any further. "I'm sorry, Danny. I'll make it up to Grace, I promise. I'll take her swimming with the dolphins again, or to see the penguins or just to get shave ice; whatever she wants. I just... look, I didn't realize it was going to disappoint her so much if I wasn't at her party. I thought... I guess... I assumed she'd be happier with her family and all her friends, and that she'd hardly notice whether I was there or not. I'd arranged to go surfing with Karl months ago and... he was only here for that one weekend. I'm sorry."

Danny managed to keep quiet throughout Steve's apology, which was a start at least. He had a kind of speculative look on his face that Steve didn't really understand, and that made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He looked away for a moment, taking a breath, before offering Danny another apologetic look.

"Okay," was all Danny said in the end.

~//~

"Cath, please..." Steve called helplessly as she stumbled out the door and practically ran for her car.

His eyes widened at the sight of Danny meeting her halfway down the path. As Steve stopped where he was, two steps outside his front door, Catherine flicked a teary-eyed glance back at him, shook her head at Danny and then rounded him, continuing her bee-line for the Stingray.

"Cath..." Steve said half-heartedly, rubbing a hand through his hair and frowning past Danny as Catherine's rapid escape threw gravel towards the gate. Steve watched the car disappear, then reluctantly focused on Danny, who had also watched her exit and was now turning around, lips pursed, hands in pockets as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

"Don't ask," was all Steve offered, before turning and heading back indoors. "You want a beer?"

"Yeah, I'll take a beer. But if you think I'm not going to ask, you are sadly mistaken, my friend. First you don't turn up for my daughter's birthday party and now you're making Catherine cry. What gives?"

Steve turned on his way to the fridge, frowning in curiosity. "Why are you relating the two things? What makes you think one has anything to do with the other?"

Danny's eyebrows were raised, and he tilted one thoughtfully. "I didn't say they were related, but now that you mention it, they both happened within the space of a couple of days. _Are_ they related?"

"No! Why..." Steve turned away, shaking his head as he completed the journey to find beer. Reaching into the fridge, he drew out a couple of cold bottles and handed one off to Danny before leaning against the counter and opening his. "Look, Danny, I didn't mean to make Cath cry. And aside from not meaning to upset Grace, the two are definitely not related. I was otherwise occupied when Grace was having her party, and Cath... If you must know... I just..." He paused, took a gulp from his beer and kept his eyes on the bottle as he finished the sentence. "I broke up with her."

There was a hollow silence instead of the explosion of surprise he'd been expecting to hear from Danny, and Steve looked up from under his brows, squinting in wonder. "You're not going to say anything?"

Danny shook his head, his eyes unreadable, and then turned away to twist the top off his own beer and drink deeply from it, before heading outside.

Steve frowned, shifting upright, and followed him. "You don't want to question my motives? Tell me I made a mistake? Offer sympathy?"

Danny was standing, looking out towards the water, one hand wrapped around his beer, the other in his pocket. "Is there any point in me saying anything? You do what you want no matter what advice I offer or questions I may have." He sounded weary, like he didn't know what to make of Steve's admission and maybe just a little like he'd had enough of Steve's recent behavior.

"But you..." Steve began, but didn't know how to go on. He moved to stand next to Danny, shoving his own free hand in his pocket, though part of him ached to touch Danny; to assure him there was a good reason for him doing what he did. He wasn't sure Danny was ready for any of it.

Danny looked up at him sideways, but Steve didn't meet his eyes; too worried what kind of disappointment he'd see there. He swallowed more beer and kept his eyes on the colors spreading across the water as the sun receded from view.

"You'll freeze that way."

"What?" Steve finally did look at Danny, but he'd dropped his eyes away.

"That expression. My Ma always said the wind would change and I'd be stuck like that. You have that face on that says you're worried I won't approve or understand, and if you're frowning so hard when the wind changes, you'll look like that forever."

Steve quirked a lip at that, taking another small sip of his beer and consciously making an effort to ease out of the scowl Danny thought he was wearing. "I'm not sure you will."

"Approve or understand?"

"Either. Both."

"Not that why you broke up with Catherine is really any of my business, but you could try me. What's the worst I could say?"

Steve laughed, though he wasn't sure there was any humor in it. "That's what worries me."

Danny quirked his eyebrow in question. "It's really that bad?"

"I _feel_ bad about it. It makes me wonder if I'm... not really a very nice person." Steve looked away again, drinking more and glancing at Danny before focusing on the darkening water in front of them.

Danny snorted and rapidly gulped from his own bottle. "So who is this Karl guy you went surfing with?"

Steve wondered where he was headed with the question, and his heart thumped at the thought of Danny figuring things out just a little too easily. He already knew far more about Steve than Steve had let anyone else see. "Just a guy I used to go to school with. Old surfing buddy."

"Did he have something to do with why you broke up with Catherine?"

Steve took a breath, finally managing to look at Danny properly, despite the nerves that were making his pulse speed up. "Actually, yeah. Something he said kind of made me step back and take a look at things. I realized I wasn't exactly being fair to her."

"The 'thing' you claim to have with her a little more from her perspective?"

Nodding, Steve dropped his eyes away from the frank gaze that felt as if it was reading his every thought. "I couldn't keep pretending there was more. And much as I love being with her, and how easy she is to be with... I don't love her like she deserves."

Danny nodded thoughtfully. "I wondered about that."

"You did?" Steve lifted his head. "Was that all you wondered about?"

Danny was uncharacteristically quiet as he studied Steve's eyes for a moment. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then closed it again and looked off to the side. "Not sure you'd appreciate my opinion on anything else I've been wondering."

Steve frowned. "That doesn't usually stop you expressing it. What's different this time?"

"You've been... distant for a few weeks now. I can't help thinking maybe it's got something to do with this Karl guy. It all seems to tie in with when you say you made the plans to go surfing with him."

Danny sounded more tentative than usual – not nearly as confrontational as he managed most days – and Steve was starting to wonder if he'd figured out what Karl had been to him and was afraid of alienating Steve if he passed judgment on it.

"What..." Steve started, the fluttering in his stomach stopping him from speaking for a moment. "What would you say if I told you I'd been more than friends with him once?"

Danny shook his head, a tight smile making his eyes crinkle as he looked at the beer bottle in his hand. "You had a 'thing' going on with him too?"

"Yeah." Steve nodded, feeling less afraid now he'd got the words out.

"I suppose I could say I was surprised, but..."

"But?"

Danny looked up again, meeting Steve's eyes with a look that Steve wasn't convinced he was reading right. "Somehow I'm not. He's not the only guy you've wanted to have a 'thing' with, though, is he?"

"No." Steve licked his lips, positive Danny understood now. "I'm sorry if that's uncomfortable for you, Danny."

Danny shrugged. "It's not uncomfortable for _me_ , but I can imagine why it might have been for Catherine, especially with Karl around. Probably just as well you worked out what you wanted when you did."

Steve frowned. Danny hadn't understood at all. "D, it's not what you're thinking. Karl's gone."

"That doesn't mean he won't be coming back, though, does it?"

Steve let out an exasperated noise. The way this conversation was going was not the direction he'd been expecting, nor was it one he liked. "He's not coming back, Danny. Karl has no interest in me like that any more, and I… I've moved on too. I thought maybe Cath… but…" He shook his head, and then met Danny's eyes properly, hoping he could see what Steve desperately wanted him to see.

Danny downed the last of his beer and squinted at Steve oddly. "You sure about that?"

"About what? Me having moved on? Why would I lie about that? Anyway, it's not… this isn't how I wanted to tell you."

Now Danny looked completely confused. "Tell me what? That you'd broken up with Cath? How _did_ you want to tell me, and why is it so important?"

Now was Steve's opportunity to find out if Danny had felt the same undercurrent that Steve had. It was a risk, considering it was all down to what Steve had read into the looks they sometimes exchanged, their almost overwhelming need to know everything about each other, and the casual touches that didn't feel anywhere near as electric with anyone else as they did with Danny.

It had taken a lot of soul-searching and a long and helpful conversation with Karl, but Steve felt ready to take that risk.

"I broke up with her for you."

Danny's upper body jerked backwards as his expression went from slightly confused to completely panicked. "What do you mean, for _me_? I… I like Cath; you two were good together, and I don't think… I mean, I never gave you any reason to think…"

"Danny-"

"No, Steve, no. You are not saying what you appear to be saying." Danny hands were working overtime and his expression had darkened considerably. "Because, for one thing, I do not want to be someone Cath ends up hating. For another thing, I'm not even… you haven't… we don't…"

"You're seriously going to tell me you've never thought of it?" Steve saw the doubt flicker in Danny's eyes as he took a step closer.

Danny shook his head, backing up a step, and holding his hands up as if to ward Steve off. "Never; not for one second."

Steve backed up again, crossing his arms, and looked at Danny with skepticism. "I don't believe that."

"Look, just because you want something, doesn't make it so. Anyway, even if I _was_ interested, it's way too soon. You just this minute broke up with Cath. Doesn't it concern you that she left here in tears and you're trying to hook up with me?"

"Hook up? That's what you think this is? A hook-up? Is _that_ why you're looking so worried?" Steve rubbed at his face, turning away, stunned that Danny would think that was all he was interested in.

"Okay, so it's not just a hook-up you're after, but it's still too soon. How do you think Catherine would feel if she found out you basically prop… Okay, okay." Danny waved his hands again as Steve glared at him, like that would calm him down. "You wanted me to take her place, then, the same day you broke it off with her?"

"Danny, I told her _why_. That's why she was crying; not just because we ended it. It's been coming for a while and I think she knew that. She agreed before I explained, but I… I had to be honest. I didn't want her finding out from someone else."

There was a moment of silence as Danny just stared at Steve, then he huffed and turned away completely.

Steve held out his hands in question. "What?"

"You arrogant bastard." Danny swung back around and this time there was real anger in his eyes. "You never even thought to check with me; see if I was interested first? And now you've told Cath like it's a done deal. You should call your friend Karl now, my friend, because you've just blown your chance."

Steve watched in stunned horror as Danny deposited his empty beer bottle in Steve's hand, turned on his heel and left.

He knew he should have thought this through more.

~//~  



	3. Boots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny is annoyed about Steve's confession; he needs to air his anger to someone

"Of all the self-centered, arrogant, completely oblivious to all sensible thought, Neanderthal behaviors, this one completely takes the cake-"

"Danny, Danny, slow down!" Rachel's sharp accent cut through the phone line and Danny's words. She continued as Danny finally took a breath. "Now, I know you can't be talking about me, although I wasn't sure to begin with, but I think I get it. Exactly what has Steve McGarrett done now, and why are you telling me this?"

"I'm sorry, Rachel. It wasn't my intention to dump on you when I called, but… in all honesty, I'm not sure anyone else would be sympathetic right now, and…" Danny took another deep breath. "I didn't call you about him, anyway. I wanted to ask if I could pick up Grace a little early tomorrow."

"From where I'm standing, it sounds a lot like you _need_ to unload about Steve." She paused, like she might be regretting that particular statement. "Why do you want to collect Grace early? Please tell me it has nothing to do with Steve?"

Danny ran a hand over his face, sighing out a long breath. "I got tickets for that Disney Princess show she was talking about for tomorrow afternoon; thought if you didn't mind, I could use a nice relaxed long lunch with her first. I don't ask for much, Rachel…"

"Yes."

"Yes? It's that easy?" Danny couldn't help the touch of suspicion he was sure Rachel could hear in his tone.

"Daniel, I am not the Wicked Witch of the West. You can come for her as early as you like – within reason – tomorrow. We have nothing planned and she'll be asking for two hours before you arrive when you're coming, no matter what time we agree to. What time were you thinking?"

"Ten?"

"Perfect. Now, let's not pretend you don't want my advice about Commander McGarrett, shall we? At the risk of repeating myself, what did he do?"

"Are you sure?"

"Danny…"

"Okay." Danny held up a hand, nodding into the phone as made his way to the fridge to find a beer. "I went over there after work tonight. I met Catherine on his front path, in tears. She wouldn't speak to me; just kept walking out of there as fast as her feet would take her. Steve wasn't talking either at first – hardly a surprise with him – but he finally admitted he'd just dumped her…" He gulped words back before they escaped, unwilling to divulge the reason Steve had given, though a part of him wanted to.

"And?"

Danny tucked the phone under his ear, unscrewing the beer he'd pulled out of the fridge and swallowing a quick mouthful before he went on, switching the phone to his free hand and other ear. "There's always an 'and' with him, isn't there? Tell me if I have the etiquette wrong here, Rach, but surely it's too soon to be considering dating someone else when you've just given the elbow to a long-standing girlfriend just a few minutes earlier?"

"Hmm."

Danny raised his eyebrows, trying to decipher the meaning behind her hummed answer. "Not only that, but _telling_ said girlfriend that dating this new person was the reason for the break-up… when the newbie didn't even _know_ he was interested…"

"Steve has his eye on someone else already?"

"Yes. I'm not sure they want to get involved either, but he was acting like asking h- them was a mere formality."

"You obviously know this other person fairly well, then?"

Danny took another gulp of his beer as he paced across the room, thinking how to word his reply. "I guess you could say that. But even if I didn't, just knowing all of that makes me want to kick his ass with the biggest pair of boots I can find."

"And you basically told him that, I'm guessing. Danny?"

"Yes?"

"What's your interest in this other person?"

"Why do you ask?" He couldn't tell her; he just couldn't.

"Sometimes you forget how well I know you. If this didn't involve something personal to you, you wouldn't be so worked up about it. Much as I have to agree that he's probably moving a little faster than most… sensible… people would be comfortable with, surely the whole thing is Steve's problem? And possibly Catherine's, if she doesn't want to end things?"

"The thing is… I… look, Rachel, he's supposed to be my friend, and… and I like Cath; I don't like the way he treated her. I can't help getting involved. He needs to know his behavior isn't acceptable. And how am I supposed to believe he'll treat… the newbie any better?" He rubbed the side of his face with the cool bottle, trying to ease the flush his explanation had caused.

"So you know the woman, then? _Is_ she someone you have an interest in too?"

"Rachel… it's not…" _a woman_. The words burned the back of his throat, but Danny wasn't sure he could say them out loud.

"Not what?" Rachel made a disbelieving sound in her throat as Danny's pause stretched. "Danny?"

Danny cleared his throat, searching for a way to put her off, regretting getting this far with the conversation.

Before he could speak, Rachel went on, "I have to say that I'm tempted to ask if it _is_ a woman. But I'm sure that can't be it, because you're not so homophobic that it would actually bother you to find out someone like Steve was interested in men, would it, Danny?"

Danny had definitely not expected _that_ , and his stunned silence probably spoke volumes.

Rachel huffed. "I wasn't actually serious, but… clearly I've stumbled onto the crux of the matt-" The last word was cut off as she appeared to be taking the thought to its almost natural conclusion. "Tell me he didn't…"

"He did," Danny answered in a small voice, dropping his eyes to study the warming beer in his hand.

"Oh, Danny. Clearly you find the idea somewhat disturbing."

"That's something of an understatement."

Rachel sighed audibly. "Is it really that bad? If Steve is brave enough to admit the truth not only to Cath, but also to you – the object of his affection – without even knowing how you felt, don't you think your reaction was rather like being kicked while he was down? You could have at least let him down gently; made allowances for how hard that must have been for him to admit."

Danny chewed at his lip. Rachel had understood part of it, but not quite everything, and Danny wasn't about to tell her the rest.

"You're right," he got out, "and I should probably talk to him again; let him know I'm not… that his telling me _that_ wasn't why I was angry. Thanks, Rachel. I… I'll see you tomorrow."

Before she could offer any further advice, or figure out exactly what else he wasn't saying, Danny cut off the call, frowning at his phone before placing it on the kitchen counter and draining the rest of his beer.

~//~  



	4. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve swims to stop his thoughts circling on Danny's reaction to his confession

The sun's early rays were just sending tendrils of warm orange light over the sea as Steve jogged down to it early on Saturday after a night of tossing and turning and going over the exchange between himself and Danny from the evening before. He'd also reviewed the conversation he'd had with Catherine before it, but he couldn't regret any of that. He hadn't told her there was someone he was attracted to – despite what he'd let Danny believe – just that he was more interested in men than women and he'd finally faced up to the fact, and that keeping up the pretence with her wasn't going to do either of them any good in the long run.

He dived into the ocean, striking out steadily in the hope of breaking the circular pattern of his thoughts.

Of course Danny wasn't interested; why would he be? No matter if Steve had wanted him to be, or that he'd imagined all sorts of things into their exchanges which clearly weren't there. The 'too soon' excuse didn't hold up by itself; but to Danny it was probably an easier way to let Steve down than anything more direct. And Danny's behavior had shown exactly what he thought of Steve's idea, so there was very little doubt left in his mind.

But Danny's point was still valid: it was too soon. Cath would be more than upset if she found out Steve and Danny were closer than 'friends' so soon. Even if they waited, it would still be easy for her to believe something had started between them long ago; everyone already accused them of being married, and Cath herself had called them watching a football game together a 'man-date', even if it had been a joke. Steve could all too easily see her going over things in her head and completely misunderstanding such moments with the hindsight of knowing that Steve wanted to be with Danny.

It was just as well Danny had turned him down. There would be other guys; all Steve had to do was make the effort to meet them. He took another breath, turning in the water and beginning to stroke homeward.

He'd pushed himself hard in the brief swim and was breathing heavily as he emerged from the water, but it hadn't stopped his mind from churning the whole stupid thing over again. He took another breath, doubling over and leaning against his knees as he let it out again.

"Push yourself hard enough to forget?"

Danny's voice made Steve start, and his heart was pounding as he straightened up to find Danny leaning with arms folded against the back of one of the outdoor chairs outside the house.

"Danny? It's a little early for you, isn't it?"

Danny smiled mirthlessly and squinted towards the rapidly rising sun behind Steve. "I figured I'd made you sweat long enough."

"Sweat? I… look, Danny, I'm sorry about last night; I know it was the last thing you expected to hear, and I didn't mean to put you in a difficult place." He grabbed the towel he'd left in the chair next to where Danny leaned and wiped it across his face. "I won't mention it again."

Danny straightened up and pushed both hands into his pockets. "Look, I was surprised, and I still happen to think it's far too soon for you to get involved with anyone else, but… you took a real risk telling me all that you did. I'm more than a little flattered and… and I shouldn't have shoved it back in your face like that. But…" He held up a hand as Steve opened his mouth to respond. "But… you shouldn't have told Cath without talking to me first."

"I didn't tell her I was interested in you, Danny!" Steve threw his towel over his shoulder and gestured at Danny to go inside. "I'll make coffee and we can talk while I have breakfast."

"You didn't?" Danny asked, his brow creasing. "And I already put the coffee on."

He followed Steve inside and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, sliding into it as Steve deposited his towel over the seat of another chair and pulled on the t-shirt he'd left on the back of it. Turning to the coffee maker, Steve checked the machine and quirked a grin at Danny's habit of making sure caffeine was available before tackling any hard conversations. He pulled mugs from a cupboard and started pouring the already-brewed coffee.

"So why did you let me believe you'd told her _everything_?"

"It wasn't intentional, D. All I said to her was that I'd come to terms with who I am, and that I had to be honest with her about liking men more than women." He turned to push a cup across the table at Danny, and reached into the fridge for cream for his own cup. "You didn't exactly give me a chance to explain that last night."

Danny raised his eyebrows like he was remembering his rapid exit last night. "True. I'm sorry for calling you an arrogant bastard."

Steve managed a huff of amusement at that. "I would never have done that to you or her, Danny." Sitting down opposite Danny, he cupped his coffee and blew softly on it, avoiding Danny's eyes.

"I should have known that."

"You were in shock." Steve shrugged, studying his coffee intently. "It was the last thing you were expecting. Anyway, it doesn't matter. At least you're still talking to me."

"I'm not exactly going to run away screaming just because you're gay. What kind of cop would I be if I couldn't deal with different kinds of people?"

Steve managed to meet his eyes at that. "Cops aren't known for their tolerance towards homosexuals any more than the armed forces. Why do you think it took me this long to come to terms with it?"

Danny gave him a thoughtful look. "And the interest in me as more than a friend? That's taken a while to come to terms with too?"

"I don't think I want to get into that, Danny. I made a mistake, okay? And… I'd rather just put it aside and move on. As long as we can stay friends, I'll be happy." He took a sip of his coffee, dropping his eyes again, more than aware of the heat in his face.

"You sure about that?"

"What?" Steve put his cup down and glared at Danny. "You don't think I can get past it, do you? Jesus, D, give me a little credit. I'm not a besotted twelve-year-old girl. I may not be as straight as you, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of restraint."

Danny snorted, but held up a hand. "Much as you and restraint don't exactly go hand in hand, that wasn't what I meant. Babe, I… you deserve to be happy as much as anyone else. " He stopped and took a breath, looking at Steve with unreadable eyes.

Steve went from angry to confused. "What are you saying?"

"I thought a lot about what you told me last night." Danny bit at his lip, then stood up, pacing away from the table, holding up a hand with finger and thumb close together as he turned back towards Steve. "Maybe… and this a very small maybe, so don't do your typical dive in with both feet before I get my head around it some more, okay?" He held both hands out in supplication. "Maybe it's me who got it wrong."

Steve blinked at Danny in utter amazement, sure he must be misunderstanding.

Danny shifted uncomfortably under Steve's stunned gaze, and offered a hesitant smile. "Okay, so maybe I overestimated the diving in with both feet thing, but say _something_ , babe, before I change my mind, huh?"

The optimistic side of Steve tried to rise at the encouraging words, but the distrusting part couldn't quite be sure there was enough hope in what Danny was saying. "Are you kidding me?"

"Kidding?" Danny looked affronted. "You seriously think I would stick my neck out like this for a _joke_? Jesus, why do I even… Forget it, forget it. Just… carry on, do what it is you do. Stick your head in the ground, pretend like you never mentioned any of it, and of course it will go away."

"Danny-"

"At least I have Grace to help me forget sticking my neck out for no reason." Anger painted Danny's face.

Steve stood up and moved towards him. "Danny, please…"

"The light that I thought was going on in that tiny brain of yours has gone out again. Whether this whole thing goes away or not, I am going to leave now. I have a date with my beautiful and way-more-savvy-than-you daughter in a couple of hours, and I am going to enjoy my time with her, thank you very much. Should you decide to take what I said _seriously_ and not doubt my every word, then perhaps you'll call me later."

With that, he held up a hand to forestall any words that Steve might have been able to scrape together, and backed out of the room.

Trying desperately to organize his thoughts and figure out exactly what had scared Danny back inside his own personal closet before he'd set more than a foot outside, Steve couldn't think of a single thing to say as Danny left.

~//~  



	5. Cheerleading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace thinks Danny should apologize to Steve

"Danno, are you even listening?"

Danny looked up from the remains of the food he'd been pushing around his plate and concentrated on Grace's worried expression. "Hmm?"

"I was telling you how Maria and Tina have already seen the show and… don't you want to see the Disney princesses, Danno?"

"Oh, baby, no; it's not that." Danny put down his fork and reached out a hand for Grace's, taking it into his own and offering her a smile. "I just… I was thinking about something I was talking to Uncle Steve about earlier. I'm so sorry. What were you saying?"

But Grace frowned and shook her head. "Did you and Uncle Steve have a fight?"

"No! Why would you say that?"

Grace shrugged. "Last week you said he was too busy to come to my party, and he… we haven't been to see him in forever."

"He said he'd take you to see the penguins or go swimming with the dolphins again soon instead. He didn't mean to upset you by missing your party. He was meeting a friend who was only going to be in town for that one weekend, that's all, Monkey. We didn't fight."

Well, not exactly.

Grace just looked at him for a moment, an almost disbelieving look in her eyes.

Danny was starting to feel a little uneasy about the scrutiny. He let go of her hand. "Don't you want to tell me what Maria and Tina said about the show?"

"No. I want you and Uncle Steve to be friends again."

Holding his hands out in question, Danny squinted at her. "We're still friends."

"Did you say something bad to him, Danno? He loves you so much."

Danny's eyes widened. How much did she see, exactly? "I didn't… I care about him, Monkey; I would never hurt him."

But he had, hadn't he?

"Mommy says sometimes we hurt the people we love most without meaning to. And I know you love him. I love him too and I miss him. I want to go to see the penguins with him, but only if you come too and say you're sorry to Uncle Steve."

A half-snort, half-laugh escaped from Danny's throat. She probably didn't mean the words quite the way they sounded, but she had a point. He probably should apologize to Steve, although he still wasn't sure he'd done the right thing by letting the guy think he might be getting to Danny. "Sometimes I wonder how you got so smart."

Grace smiled sweetly and stirred her drink with the straw before taking a sip. "I pay attention. You told me that's how good cops catch the bad guys." She frowned momentarily, making Danny want to make her laugh to kill the worry. "I know you're not a bad guy, Danno; neither is Uncle Steve. But I see things."

Danny tilted his head to study her from another angle. "What things do you see?" he asked her seriously.

Dropping her eyes for a moment, Grace appeared to be thinking. When she looked up again, there was more than curiosity in her eyes. "Uncle Steve never looks at anyone else the way he looks at you."

Danny was almost afraid to ask, his heart doing flip-flops. "How does he look at me?"

Grace pulled a face. "Like he found you someplace pretty and different and even better than Hawai'i, and like he wants you to be his best friend forever."

"Do you think I should be his best friend?"

"You already are." Grace twirled her straw some more, her eyes looking wiser than her years.

He swallowed, and reached for her hand again. "What would you say if I told you…" He couldn't quite get the words out, uncertain if this was the right time.

"You don't have to tell me, Danno." Those wise eyes held the knowledge he had been dancing around for far too long.

"So you'd be okay with that?"

Grace nodded. "You make each other happy. I don't like it when you fight."

Danny smiled. "Let's call him after we've been to the show."

"Yeah," Grace grinned back at him. "And maybe we can see the penguins tomorrow?"

"Oh, I think that's distinctly possible, Monkey."

~//~  



	6. Optimism (My Choice)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's working on the Marquis when some unexpected visitors arrive

Steve thought a lot about what Danny had said before he left to pick up Grace, but it was difficult to decide if he'd meant what he'd implied.

And that was all it was at the end of the day: an _implication_ of interest. He'd said _maybe_ he _was the one who had got it wrong_ ; nothing definite at all. Okay, so the back-tracking after Steve had questioned it suggested that Steve hadn't misunderstood a single word, but Danny was far from sure about the whole thing, quite obviously.

After thinking his way solidly through breakfast, a shower and cleaning the house, Steve spent the afternoon working on the Marquis, something that required too much of his concentration to focus on the unresolved question of Danny. And he was not about to 'call him later' either; he still had some pride, and he felt like it had taken enough of a beating recently.

No, if Danny wanted to talk about it any further, he could call Steve.

"Son of a bitch!" Steve cursed as the piece he'd removed from the engine fell apart in his hand. "That's exactly what I need right now."

"You wanna go get the soap to wash his mouth out, Monkey or shall I?" Danny said behind him, and Steve spun around, glaring at Danny and Grace as they approached him.

Grace looked frightened for a second, but Steve toned the scowl down to an awkward smile, placing the offending item on the workbench beside him before grabbing a rag to wipe his hands and approaching them cautiously. "Sorry, Grace. I didn't know you were coming or I wouldn't have sworn." He looked at Danny with wary eyes. "You should have called first."

"I did, but you either left your phone in the house or it's on silent. I left a message." Danny glanced at Grace before managing to meet Steve's eyes.

Steve would probably have given him the cold shoulder at this point but for Grace standing there so patently waiting for something better. "Silent. I needed to concentrate. I… uh… look, you want to come inside while I clean up? I think I have some juice in the fridge if you're thirsty?" He offered this last to Grace, unwilling to be less than the gracious host to her.

Grace nodded, and then focused on Danny. "You have something to tell Uncle Steve, right, Danno?"

Letting his eyes swivel to Danny, Steve gestured for them to precede him inside the house. "You do?"

Danny smiled tightly and headed inside as he answered. "I do."

Steve looked from Grace to her father and back again, unsure. "Okay, why don't I go get rid of the grease first though? You can get some juice while I do that; make yourselves comfortable. I'll be right back." He left them to it, frowning in thought as he heard Grace murmur something to Danny that sounded like 'you have to, Danno.'

 

By the time Steve got back downstairs, Danny and Grace were sitting outside on the lanai with tall glasses of juice. Grace looked meaningfully at her father before smiling at Steve.

"We poured you a glass too, Uncle Steve," she told him, indicating the third glass on the table beside her own.

"Thank you, Gracie; that's just what I need." Steve sat down beside her, reaching for the juice and taking a cool gulp.

"Uh, anyway, the reason we came," Danny said, setting his own drink down and shifting awkwardly on his seat. "It was to ask you to come see the penguins with us tomorrow."

"Danno!" Grace interjected. "Remember what else?"

"And have breakfast with us beforehand."

Grace sighed heavily, like she was the adult expecting the child to say something they'd clearly discussed in advance, and Danny was her recalcitrant son refusing to follow the script.

Steve looked first at her and then at Danny, desperate to agree to the outing, but sure he shouldn't until Danny said whatever else it was Grace wanted him to come out with. At Grace's frown, he kept his mouth shut, waiting.

"I'm sorry."

Danny wasn't meeting his eyes and Steve barely heard, but he assumed the words were aimed at him. He dipped his head, not smiling yet, although from the tilt of Grace's lip there was something in his eye that gave him away. "I beg your pardon?"

Huffing silently, Danny shook his head, and then met Steve's eyes at last. "I'm sorry for not giving you a chance."

Seeing the genuine regret in Danny's expression caused a pang of guilt in Steve for the doubt he'd shown when Danny had taken such a risk earlier that morning. He hated the feeling, but he hated the thought that he'd almost blown things with Danny even more. "I'm sorry too, babe."

"Then you'll come with us tomorrow, Uncle Steve?" Grace smiled, hope shining in her pretty brown eyes.

Steve let his lip quirk up, unable to stop the spiral of optimism from making its way into his own expression as he nodded, his eyes back on Danny's. "I wouldn't miss it for anything."

~//~  



	7. Trumpet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny makes a few discoveries; Steve blows his own trumpet

"Mmm." Danny moved away from Steve, sucking on his own lip.

Steve looked nervous; concerned perhaps that Danny hadn't liked the kiss. Admittedly it was tentative, but Danny had never kissed a guy before, and while he was interested (he'd confessed as much to Steve, for Christ's sake, why was he having so much trouble coming to terms with it in his own head?), it wasn't as comfortable as he hoped it was going to get.

"Maybe this was the mistake," Steve said, his voice low as he turned away.

Danny shook his head, shifting back into Steve's line of sight. "No, no, babe; don't do that." He took a deep breath and put a hand on Steve's arm, squeezing gently until he looked back at Danny. He kept the hand there and smiled in encouragement. "It's not a mistake; it's just… it's new, that's all. I need to… take it slow, okay?"

Steve still didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Anyway, you have Grace; you need to get her home." He looked past Danny to the Camaro where Grace was sleeping soundly after their day visiting penguins and all the excitement that had entailed with Steve in tow.

Danny cast a glance back at her too, before smiling at Steve once more, his hand sliding down the man's arm until he could wrap his fingers around Steve's hand. "She's out, babe. Believe me, she won't wake now until I deposit her back in Rachel's arms."

"Good." Steve watched their hands, almost as if he was afraid to believe he wasn't dreaming. He barely moved the hand as Danny caressed Steve's work-roughened skin with his thumb.

"Steve, I…" Danny paused, searching for the right words. "I want this; maybe as much as you do."

Steve looked up, a wary hopefulness glowing in his expressive eyes.

"Look, I still wonder if it's not too soon; that's all," Danny went on. "It doesn’t seem… I don't know… politic?"

"Politic?" Steve echoed.

"You know what I'm saying, babe. Catherine. I know it wasn't your aim to hurt her. What happens if we run into her? Hey, Oahu's a small island; we share friends. It's bound to happen." He took his fingers back and spread both hands in appeal. "Maybe we should just keep this between us for a while? Just for a few weeks. Give her time to come to terms with your split?"

"Are you… is this your way of saying you might change your mind-"

"Steve!" Danny cut in before Steve could start circling in on his own fears again. "I'm not changing my mind, okay? I just think we should give Cath some extra time before we're all over each other in public."

Steve tilted his head away and drew his brows together, like he was weighing the explanation up and judging it for untruth.

"Okay," Danny conceded, "Maybe I need some time too, but only because I haven't done a 'relationship' with another man before; _not_ because I'm not completely on board with giving it a shot with _you_. Can you get that? Please, huh?" He hoped his honesty was showing through his eyes, but it was hard to tell whether Steve realized how much like a virgin this situation made him feel.

Finally, Steve nodded again, allowing a small smile to surface.

"There, that's better, and that kind of look is exactly why I'm willing to put myself out on a limb for you."

Steve flicked a glance in either direction past them and then quickly pulled Danny in hard against himself, pressing incredibly soft lips against Danny's. Danny let out a squeak of surprise, and the action allowed Steve's tongue inside his mouth.

Oh. Oh, yeah. _Yeah_

This, Danny could definitely do. He wrapped arms around Steve at last, pulling him closer and groaning as Steve's tongue pulsed inside his mouth, sweeping around the back of Danny's teeth and twirling past his tongue. Steve pulled back at last, though he kept hold of Danny and grinned down at him, far too pleased with himself at Danny's obviously eager reaction, no doubt.

"Wow," was all Danny could get out, and he was panting with need and desire; much stronger than he'd felt after the first 'peck' they'd attempted, just minutes ago.

Steve's confidence was back and then some. "Much as I hate to blow my own trumpet, I have been told I have a certain _je ne sais quoi_ when it comes to French kissing."

"Oh, you've been told that, have you?" Danny asked, laughing as they released each other fully. "I like what you did there – using a French phrase when talking about French kissing; that's very clever."

Steve lifted a brow, his eyes dancing and his smile turned to full beam. "You liked that, huh? Well, I got more like that for when we take things further."

"Oh, you're pretty confident now, huh? One good kiss and you suddenly think I'm easy?" Danny couldn't keep the grin off his own face.

"So you admit it was good?"

The hesitation that had been hanging around Danny's neck did seem to have fallen off. He allowed a glance in Grace's direction again, but she was still floating blissfully in dreamland. "Yes, Steven, I will concede that it was a _very_ good kiss. And I am very much looking forward to finding out what matching words you have for when we progress to the next base."

Danny shook his head and retreated down the path a few steps, offering a grin back at Steve as the man folded his arms and watched Danny head for the car.

"Might even throw some baseball analogies back at you if you want."

It was impossible not to laugh. "I _want_ very much," Danny said, putting a very firm emphasis on the word 'want'. "But you'll just have to wait a little longer, okay?"

"Okay." There was a lot said in that one word.

Danny opened the car door, settling inside and shifting Grace carefully so he could buckle her seatbelt. An incredible warmth spread through him as he gave Steve one last nod, and started up the car.

This might be a new direction for him, but after the kiss he and Steve had just shared and the exchange between them afterwards, Danny had a feeling that it was going to be a road well worth traveling.

He was very much looking forward to beginning the journey.

~//~//~

END


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